Ford’s new Everest Platinum 3.0 V6 does almost everything the company said it would long before the official launch and provides smooth, quiet and efficient mobility.
However, talking of long – the gestation period of the Everest (and its Ranger bakkie cousins) was, perhaps, the longest in South African automotive history, going from rumour to confirmation, stylised teaser images, the massive Silverton Plant revamp to under-spotlight pre-production reveal and finally the launch itself.
While this generated publicity and buyer expectation, there was always the danger this build-up would oversell the product.
It did not.
When Carshop.co.za first saw the Everest ‘in-the-flesh’ at the static reveal, the initial impression was just how big the vehicle looked, almost to the point of cumbersome. However, in the light of day and on the road where it belongs, it neither looks oversized nor, in any way, heavy.
Instead, it is a comfortable people carrier, a lot more fleet of foot and agile than the dimensions suggested.
Looking at the exterior, the Everest Platinum has an aggressive stance, with a bold grille, LED daytime running lights, and sharp lines that make it look imposing on the road. The Platinum comes with features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, active park assist, and blind-spot monitoring.
Aesthetically, designers created a progressive, muscular model with a wider track and longer wheelbase. Ford’s global design DNA reflects in the C-clamp headlamps and strong horizontal upper grille bars.
The Everest is 4 940 mm long, 2 207 mm wide, 1 837 mm tall, has a wheelbase of 2 900 mm, ground clearance of 262 mm and a wading depth of 800 mm – imposing, whichever way you look at it.
Interior and Comfort
The interior of the Everest Platinum is spacious and comfortable, with ample legroom and headroom for all passengers. Its seats are leather-trimmed and have a cooling and heating feature, adding to the luxurious feel of the car. The infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, with a premium sound system that produces crystal-clear sound.
Integrated wireless charging is standard with an electric parking brake and a new leather-trimmed e-Shifter on the Everest Platinum.
As befitting its flagship status, the top-spec model enjoys heated and ventilated 10-way power-adjustable front seats with a memory function for the driver. Even the second-row seats are heated to cope with brisk winter mornings.
Access to the third-row seats is much easier, thanks to second-row seats that slide further forward than before. Additionally, all occupants have more places to store their things while charging devices with power outlets in all three rows.
This includes a windscreen-mounted USB charging port, Type A and Type C USB ports in the front and centre consoles, and 12-volt sockets up front, for the third-row occupants and in the luggage compartment. The Platinum comprises a 400-Watt inverter for powering laptop computers and other devices.
It features Ford’s latest SYNC 4A system, which comes customer-ready with its voice-activated communications, entertainment and information systems.
Additionally, there’s an embedded factory-fitted modem so customers can connect to their vehicle when linked with the FordPass App. FordPass offers features such as remote start, vehicle status check and health alerts, vehicle locator and remote lock and unlocks functions via your mobile device.
On the Platinum, the portrait-orientated screen also links to a 310-degree camera with a split-view display to make parking a breeze in tight urban spaces or assist when negotiating particularly tricky terrain.
The second row of seat slides with a 60:40 split seatback, and the 50:50 split third row in the seven-seater configuration is foldable with a touch of a button, with both the second-and third-row seats folding flat to allow for bulk loads.
A neat touch is the small lip, affectionately known as the ‘apple catcher’ valley, at the rear of the cargo area to stop loose items from falling out when the tailgate opens. There is also an underfloor storage for a full-size spare wheel.
Performance
Under the hood, the Ford Everest Platinum is powered by a 3,0-litre V6 engine that delivers a maximum power output of 184 kW at 3 250 r/min and peak torque of 600 Nm from 1 750 r/min, paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission for smooth and seamless gear changes.
The Everest Platinum also features a terrain management system that allows the driver to select from various driving modes like snow, mud, sand, and rock. While many Everest owners will probably never test their vehicle beyond a bit of pavement climbing, the full-on 4x4 features mean it is more than able to wander off-road and into doing some significant donga-diving.
Driving Experience
The Everest Platinum offers a smooth, comfortable ride with responsive steering and excellent handling. The suspension is well-tuned, providing a comfortable ride even on bumpy roads. The engine is powerful and responsive enough for quick acceleration and overtaking on the highway.
Of particular note is the overall quietness inside the cabin with nary a hint of road, wind or suspension noise intruding on the conversation.
The plush seating is eminently comfortable for long trips and supportive enough when the vehicle turns away from the tarmac.
Considering the size and power of the Everest Platinum, it is also fuel-efficient, with a claimed fuel consumption of 7.8 L/100 km. In our test cycle, we could not match that claim and finished up the week with the car averaging 10,4 l/100 km – admittedly, with much of that in traffic and on short runs with less time on the open road and off-road than we would have liked.
Active Park Assist 2.0 on the Everest Platinum takes care of the steering, gearshifts, acceleration and braking to navigate into parallel or perpendicular parking spaces. And will also steer itself out of a parallel-parking spot when prompted.
For a big car, handling and road manners – within the design parameters – are excellent and suitable to take long corners with all the majesty of a sailing ship yet stop pretty close to being on the proverbial dime.
Price-wise, it plays in the same sandpit as some Range Rover, Lexus and Volvo models, all of which have established reputations in the luxury division. . . and now Ford can lay its claim.
